Sometimes at school, you'll run into a situation where you feel a need to tell a teacher or adult about something that happened - a conflict, a problem, something that bothered you.  Maybe somebody was mean to you, or cut in front of you while you were in line.  Maybe you heard someone say something unkind about someone else or say a bad word.

 

Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do.  Do you tell a teacher?  Your parents?  A friend?  The principal?

Or do you take care of the problem yourself?

 

In these cases we want you to try to figure out whether your telling a teacher is a report or a tattle.

 

While this is sometimes hard to do, we generally want you to tell an adult when it's a Report. If you feel like you're going to tattle, we'd like you to deal with the problem appropriately by yourself.

 

These examples can help you figure this out.

 

 

Tattling

 

When you tell on or complain about the actions of another person or group.

        

 Examples:

1. Sam took Lillie’s book.

2. Sara won’t play fair.

3. Zach keeps talking to me.

4. Mary Lou cut in line.

 

 

Reporting.

 

When someone is being hurt, being bullied or major school rules are being broken.

 

Examples:

1. Adam is punching Michael on the playground!

2. Emma fell from the top of the monkey bars!

3. Steve has been making fun of the way Jade runs every day at recess and won’t let her in the games.

4. Laura was writing on the bathroom walls with permanent marker.

 

 

Things to think about . . .

 

• Are you telling a teacher to be harmful? (tattling) or to be helpful? (reporting)

• Are you trying to get someone in trouble? (tattling)

• Are you helping someone who is hurt or being hurt? (reporting)

 

 

Teachers at Eagle Crest are here to help you and will help you.  

 

However, we aren’t really doing our job if we fix or try to fix every problem you have that you could figure out on your own.

 

 

Good luck and let us know how we can help.

 

Mr. Blaser

 

 

 

 

.